DURHAM, N.H. - The University of New Hampshire ranks No. 21 among medium-size schools on the Peace Corps list of top volunteer-producing colleges and universities. UNH has ranked among the top medium-size schools every year for the past decade. There are 15 alumni currently volunteering worldwide.

“Peace Corps service is an unparalleled leadership opportunity that enables college and university alumni to use the creative-thinking skills they developed in school to make an impact in communities around the world,” Acting Peace Corps Director Sheila Crowley said. “Many college graduates view Peace Corps as a launching pad for their careers because volunteers return home with the cultural competency and entrepreneurial spirit sought after in most fields.”

Service in the Peace Corps is a life-defining, hands-on leadership experience that offers volunteers the opportunity to travel to a community overseas and make a lasting difference in the lives of others. Since the Peace Corps’ founding in 1961, 724 Wildcats have traveled abroad to serve as volunteers.

Cori Rees, a 2014 UNH graduate who is currently serving as a health volunteer in Zambia, credits her alma mater with teaching her the importance of hard work and motivation.

“I am training the community health volunteers to teach about HIV/AIDS, malaria, and maternal and child health in their villages and to implement programs that will hopefully increase the quality of health of our larger community. I am empowering the youth through the school clubs which focus on teaching about the importance of education, goal setting and planning for the future, and living a healthy lifestyle which is essential in areas where 10 percent of the population is infected with HIV/AIDS,” said Rees. 

The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing colleges and universities annually according to the size of the student body. See the 2017 rankings here and find an interactive map that shows where alumni from each college and university are serving here.

The Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad on behalf of the United States to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. Through their Peace Corps experience, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today's global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 225,000 Americans of all ages have served in 141 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov.